When you think about your early childhood program, do you see it as a business? Do you think about yourself as a business administrator? I know that when I was in the field, I did not. I ran a program! I thought my program was a nonprofit organization, not a business. It was something else, above or in between. Huh?

Let’s break this down… Every day, just like you, I did the same things every business administrator does, like:

managing the facility and equipment (quality assurance)

ensuring 100% enrollment (sales)

communicating with my customers (families)

managing the budget (financial management)

making presentations for prospective families (marketing) and staff (training)

paying payroll and accounts payable

supervising staff (quality assurance)

hiring (HR)

developing the program (product development)

managing benefits (personnel), and…

all of the tasks any business administrator needs to complete.

I guess that means ECE programs are businesses! (I better check Wikipedia for a definition, just to be sure….) Some are self-contained and managed internally, and some are managed by larger organizations like schools, agencies, or corporations. But nonetheless, we are in the business of providing developmentally appropriate programs for children. Enough said?